Jonathan Raymond Thom was born in Georgetown, Guyana, on November 20, 1988, to Pastor Rodwell and Veronica Thom. At the time of his birth, his father was serving four congregations of the Advent Lutheran Parish on the West Coast Berbice (Faith, Advent, Hope and Christ congregations). Jonathan lived four years at the parsonage of Faith Lutheran Church. His father then accepted a call to the St. Andrew Lutheran Parish on the East Coast Demerara where he served until the family migrated to New York in 1994 when Jonathan was six years old.
The family lived for a few months in Queens, NY, first with his uncle Nal Mojum and family, and then with his aunt, Rushell Singh and her husband, Brian Singh, before moving to Brooklyn, NY where his father began a new call with St. Martin Lutheran Church. Between 1994-1998, Jonathan attended Christ Lutheran Church and School (LCMS) where he quickly proved his ability to engage in academic pursuits. His Brooklyn years were filled with family events such as birthdays and anniversaries (there were always one of these in the extended family), visits from friends and family from the Guyanese community in NY and from Guyana, the thrill of experiencing snow for the first time in his life that first winter – two years later he saw more snow than he could imagine in the 1996 blizzard which shut down NYC for two days. Jonathan, with his brother Joel, adjusted well to life in a new environment.
Another change in call for his dad brought the family to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in East Orange, NJ in 1998 where during the next 14 years, Jonathan experienced significant changes in his life’s journey. He completed elementary, middle school, and high school, and was given an opportunity for out-of-state college education. However, he opted for Montclair State University, which was about 20 minutes away from home. He first used his brother’s car to get to classes then invested in a Honda S2000 which he kept for the remainder of his life. To purchase that car, he worked at Panera Bread, Target, and as a Valet at some prestigious hotels in north NJ. It was a proud moment when he graduated in May 2011 with a B.S. in Biology. After some time at home, Jonathan applied to the Naval Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island and was accepted. His admission to Officer School coincided with the family’s relocation to Peace Lutheran Church, Pasadena TX in 2013. Jonathan was commissioned as an Ensign in July 2013. Jonathan first served on the USS Stethem (DDG-63) stationed in Japan, and then on USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115) for two years as First Lieutenant. He served with dignity and great care for his sailors, and under Naval auspices had the opportunity to visit and work with naval officers from many countries including Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Guam, and South Korea.
After a period of deliberation and soul-searching, Jonathan resigned from the Navy and accepted the position of Division Manager for the San Diego branch of THOR Solutions. He was given the THOR Hammer Award for outstanding management during the 2019 Covid shutdown. Throughout his later Navy and post-Navy years, Jonathan and his best friend and soulmate, Ashley Sparks, enjoyed a full and active life of motor-cycle riding, hiking, skiing, traveling, and enjoying the bountiful and beautiful sights of God’s creation. Some trips were planned, many were spontaneous, as they climbed hills and mountains to experience the dazzling beauty of sunrises and sunsets, camped in both hot and extremely cold weather conditions, and rode their bikes on the highways and off road-trails of San Diego. Jonathan’s picture album has tons of photos from various parts of the world showcasing sunrises and sunsets. Jonathan was a skilled biker and took great care of his Honda Africa Twin on which he logged well over 30K miles.
It came as a shock when Jonathan was diagnosed with a neuro-endocrine tumor of the liver in February 2019. It is a rare form of cancer and treatment was a challenge. The disease currently is virtually incurable. Jonathan continued his work with THOR and twice survived hospice. But the dreadful disease was insistent, and Jonathan had to go on disability. After a six-month stay at his parents’ home in Deer Park, TX during which he enjoyed the company of his brother Joel, sister-in-law Lori, his nephew Jason and niece Emily, Jonathan returned to San Diego at the start of 2022. He wanted to be in the city he loved, in his apartment with Ashley. His parents accompanied him. On Thursday, January 27, Jonathan enjoyed a three-hour zoom call with aunts and cousins from the US and Guyana. On the morning of January 28, Jonathan passed away peacefully and quietly in the arms of Ashley with his parents at his side.
Though his thirty-three years were too short, he lived well, dreamed dreams, struck a wonderful balance between carefree fun-time, and dedicated professional work. He worked diligently and played to his heart’s content. Jonathan enjoyed what he accomplished, and as he told his dad, “I am proud of the life I have lived.” While we will remember Jonathan in our own ways, we will all remember his smile which filled us with intense joy, and as one friend put it, “his smile could open any heart.”
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grandviewfunerals.com for the Thom family.
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